Fourteen people, including four women, have died due to unseasonal rain and thunderstorms in Gujarat as of Tuesday morning.
Mahuva in Bhavnagar received the highest rainfall in the state, recording 93 mm, while unseasonal showers affected 77 talukas across Gujarat.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Gandhinagar, the deaths were reported from various districts: two in Ahmedabad, three in Vadodara, four in Kheda, and two each in Aravalli and Dahod.
“While three died due to lightning, four were killed as trees were uprooted. Three others died in house and wall collapse, and two dies after hoarding fell on them,” SEOC officials said.
Among the worst-hit districts on Tuesday were Amreli, Rajkot, Dang, Botad, Bhavnagar, Tapi, Dahod, Junagadh and Surendranagar.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for Wednesday of strong thunderstorms with lightning and winds reaching 60–70 km/h, along with moderate to heavy rain in several districts of Gujarat.
The warning covers areas including Sabarkantha, Aravalli, Vadodara, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Morbi, Botad, Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Anand, Panchmahal, Dahod, Mahisagar, Chhota Udepur, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Junagadh, Dwarka, and Gir Somnath.
Other centres, which received rainfall were Lathi (61 mm), Lilia (49 mm) and Amreli (47 mm), Savarkundla (24 mm), Babra (36 mm). Gondal in Rajkot recorded 33 mm rainfall, followed by Nakhatrana in Kutch and Mahuva in Surat (22 mm), Vaghai in Dang and Jesar in Bhavnagar recevied 21 mm, while Jasdan and Vinchhiya in Rajkot received 20 mm.
The maximum temperatures across the state dropped by 3-8 degrees. The highest maximum temperature was recorded at Rajkot and Porbandar, at 34.5 degree Celsius. Ahmedabad recorded 33.7 degrees, Gandhinagar 33.4 degrees, Vadodara 32.4, Bhuj 33.6, Naliya 32.8, Bhavnagar 32.5, Surat 32.2 and Surendranagar 32.7 degree Celsius.
As the state government is still assessing the losses, Congress has hit out at it for alleged inaction. Leader of Congress Legislative Party, Amit Chavda, on Tuesday submitted a letter to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, requesting immediate financial assistance.
“As many as 14 people have died due to heavy rain in the state, which is a very tragic. Their families are in an unbearable situation. So the government should immediately announce an assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased. All the injured should also get treatment at the government’s expense. We demand that a survey of agricultural losses be conducted in all the areas where there has been extensive damage to agriculture and farmers have been devastated. A special package should be announced. In many places, there has been damage to property and we demand that the government should survey and make arrangements for assistance to those who have suffered damage to their property,” Chavda said.
Chavda also said that despite forecasts of rain, strong winds, and thunderstorm, the state government failed to take precautions. He said people should have been warned and efforts should have been made to create awareness and prevent casualties.
“It is sad that the government did not prepare or warn people, due to which 14 people died. Agricultural crops have been extensively damaged. There has been a major effect on mango cultivation. In many areas, farmers had come to markets to sell their produce, but those were damaged too,” Chavda also said.
“Instead of the government announcing a toll-free number after a storm or unseasonal rain, if it prepares in advance, makes the system sound, and makes people aware, then there will be no casualty… we request the government to take precautions in future,” he added.